Srinagar, Jun 3 (IANS): A terror operative has been eliminated in a joint operation by the army, police and CRPF at the police component complex at Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district, officials said on Thursday.
Police said an active terror operative Mohd Amin Malik, resident of Nagbal Machhma, Tral got neutralized in an overnight operation on the intervening night of June 2-3, 2021 jointly conducted by Awantipora Police, army's 42 RR and 180 Bn of the CRPF at Police Component complex Tral.
Police said the terror operative was arrested on May 30 along with incriminating materials viz arms, ammunition and explosives including unlicensed 12 bore gun, live rounds, explosives, iron/steel balls, 9 feature phones and other warlike stores used in the fabrication of IEDs.
Police said the terror operative was on Police remand and he was brought from Police Station Tral to the Police Component, Tral on Wednesday for further interrogation.
"During the interrogation, the terror operative got hold of the service rifle (AK 47) of Ct Amjad Khan and fired indiscriminately with the intention to kill the Police personnel. He critically wounded Ct Amjad Khan. The terror operative then took total control of the interrogation room and engaged the Police personnel by firing intermittently from the snatched weapon," police said.
Police said sensing grave danger to the lives of Police personnel and that of the terror operative, his mother and Executive Magistrate was brought on the site and sincere efforts were made to persuade him to throw away the weapon and surrender.
"The terror operative, however, displayed complete defiance to such persuasions and not only refused to surrender but also fired upon the Police party engaged in persuasion. One of the Police personnel was hit with a bullet on the chest and survived because of the bulletproof jacket he was wearing," police said.
Police said after all efforts to ensure his surrender failed, the terror operative was engaged in a gunfight following the rules and SoP of such engagement and was neutralised. The snatched weapon was recovered from the possession of the terror operative.
Police have registered an FIR and an investigation has been taken up. The dead body of a slain terrorist was sent to Police Hospital Srinagar for medico-legal formalities.
"It's pertinent to mention that the slain terror operative was an active terrorist of Hizb ul Mujahideen in the past and was arrested in 2003. Further, his brother Shabir Malik was also a terrorist of GuH outfit who was eliminated at Brenpathri in 2019," police added.